DEC Guidelines for offering Online Programmes

The following seven key areas are being identified and described as the requirements for ensuring quality of teaching and learning in Online Education.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The organizational structure of the institution willing to offer Online Programmes should be according to the DEC NORMS FOR ENSURING QUALITY IN OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL) SYSTEM

However, in addition there should be the following human resource support:

A Person in-charge of Online Programmes to coordinate the programmes, human resources and technology infrastructure. In Open Universities, this person may be designated as Director (Online Programmes).

There should be 1-2 technical persons to administer the technology and provide instructional design support on the LMS.

Adequate staff should be there to develop e-content (if in-house development is carried out). In case of outsourcing of e-content development, sufficient project managers may be appointed to liase with the teachers and the outsourced agency.

Online Learner Help Desk (24X7) in the form of Call Centre may be there.

The online programme should emanate from/ be a part of the perspective plan;

Development of online programmes should go through three stages namely: Programme formulation, Instructional Design and Development of courseware.

3. DESIGN OF E-CONTENT

Courseware developed should be in self-learning format having adequate hyperlinks pointing to relevant resources and could be in the form of a media mix comprising of text, audio, video animations, etc.

Production of courseware may be outsourced to professional agencies in case in- house facilities are not available, Also adequate training should be given to faculty on design and development of E- content.

Relevant approach may be followed with provision of multiple entry/ exit points, leading from lower to higher qualifications

Curriculum should be pitched at the level of the programme i.e. certificate/diploma/UG/PG/etc.

UGC model curriculum may be a point of reference, however, to meet the specific needs of learners and demands of the society (at large) is recommended

Expert Committees, with experts drawn from industry as well, should be constituted for the development of curriculum and the design of online programme

The programme should be approved by Statutory bodies of the University

Nomenclature of the degrees must be as per UGC guidelines

Courseware should be uploaded before the launch of programme;

Courseware should be periodically updated;

Study input for each programme should be well defined in terms of credits (1 credit =30 study hours) depending on the level of the programme as given in Table1

Courseware should be available online 24X7

E-content could be in the form of text, audio, video and animation. The LMS used should integrate all learning objects.

Credit value of the programme to determine the number of units Online counseling forum with chat area for interacting with faculty and peers, assessment and evaluation through assignments as proposed

Online Courseware should follow the principles of self learning materials.

4. STUDENT ADMISSION

Online admission facility may be provided;

Prospectus and application form containing criteria for admission, fee and duration should be available online;

Online deposit of student fee and generation of fee receipt for the learner for his/her records may be made available;

Issue of personal passwords to all learners.

5. LEARNER SUPPORT SERVICES

Organized learner support through Online chat rooms, email facility, bulletin boards, video conferencing with the faculty and university Administration;

Help Desk to provide both academic and administrative support services, such as dissemination of information, counseling and tutoring services, vocational guidance, multimedia support, library services, evaluation of assignments, feedback, guidance of project work, organization of seminars, conduct of online examinations, etc.;

Information of available support services should be prominently displayed /flashed on the website;

The University/ Institution should also cater to the special needs and requirements of diverse online learner groups including women, physically challenged, economically weaker sections of the society and other deprived and denied groups by adopting a diversified delivery approach

Institution to make arrangements for digital library facility to be accessed by enrolled learners

Online tutors be provided to handle chat and discussion forum online

Adequate training should be given to online tutors

The Help Desk Centre would be available to learners 24X7 to solve technical and administrative problems